Richard Coppola Successfully Obtained Summary Judgment Dismissing All Claims Filed Against Religious Order Alleging Violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act

Richard Coppola, a partner in the firm’s Commercial Litigation Department, successfully obtained summary judgment and a dismissal of an action filed in the Southern District of New York in 2020. In a detailed and well-reasoned thirty-one page Opinion and Order, the Court dismissed all claims alleging enticement into slavery, forced labor, and document servitude. Prior to the motion, Cullen and Dykman took plaintiff’s deposition in person on two separate occasions. The Court frequently cited plaintiff’s admissions and how the testimony contradicted the allegations in the Complaint.  The fact that plaintiff was allowed to and, in fact, did travel freely with her passport was persuasive for the Court.

About Cullen and Dykman’s Commercial Litigation Department 

Cullen and Dykman is a leading commercial litigation firm serving clients throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions and nationwide. Few firms of our size offer the same breadth and depth of experience in commercial litigation, and we have distinguished our practice by emphasizing client-first representation focused on achieving efficient, practical and cost-effective resolutions to complex commercial disputes.

About Cullen and Dykman

Cullen and Dykman (www.cullenllp.com) has been providing legal services to institutional clients since 1850. The firm represents a wide range of clients, including banks and other financial institutions, energy, telecommunications and water companies, construction companies, insurers, educational institutions, religious organizations, and not-for-profits. With over 190 attorneys in seven offices located throughout the Northeast and Mid Atlantic regions, Cullen and Dykman is strategically positioned to meet the changing needs and demands of our clients.